the HOT List

Sticking to the theme of forecasting and looking at 2023, a group of top broadcast media executives shared their thoughts on what lies ahead for Radio and Television as Forecast 2023 concluded with an Executive Super Session sponsored by Skyview Networks. In short, optimism abounds.

From saluting local veterans to investing heavily in high school or collegiate sports, small and independent broadcasters will "survive and thrive." That's the message from four owners who participated in a Forecast 2023 panel discussion that placed a spotlight on resourceful, savvy, independent broadcasters who sit at the corner of Main Street & Retail Row.

On August 19, Warren Lada was appointed interim President/CEO by Saga Communications' board of directors in the wake of the untimely death of founder Ed Christian. But, the plans had Lada holding the role for a short period.  Now, the company has announced its new President/CEO and Senior VP of Operations.

A Forecast 2023 conference session featuring two Wall Street broadcast media analysts, a BIA Advisory Services numbers cruncher, and moderator Larry Patrick, the respected media broker and Wyoming radio station owner offered intriguing insight into whether or not radio and television station purchases would be a smart move today.

To gaze into the coming year and to share their perspectives on what the economy holds has become perhaps one of the strongest sessions at Forecast, the annual conference produced by RBR+TVBR and Radio Ink. That promise was fulfilled, as a panel of industry leaders began with data from Magna Global's Vincent LeTang.

The 2022 LABF Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts took place on Tuesday at Gotham Hall, with a group of honorees ranging from the CEO of Standard Media Group to the Chairman/CEO of iHeartMedia celebrated at the lunch-hour event. We've got plenty of pics from the affair.

Standard Media, led by CEO Deb McDermott, is making headlines for failing to reach a fresh retransmission consent agreement with one of the nation's two direct broadcast satellite television service providers. And, it makes no bones about which party is at fault for the impasse.

Ad-supported television is ripe for new and returning viewers, paving the way for greater ad revenue opportunities. That's according to Magid EVP Jill Rosengard Hill, who delivered a Keynote Presentation on Thursday afternoon at the Matrix Solutions Media Ad Sales Summit.

Addressability — the coming promise of ATSC 3.0 and NEXTGEN TV — can make breaking siloes and cross-platform sales a sensible, and dollar-building, opportunity. The topic was tackled by panelists at the Matrix Media Ad Sales Summit on Thursday, with Alan Wolk, analyst and co-founder of TV [R]EV, sharing thoughts on addressable advertising — and what's set to come beyond the set-top box.

The Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution segment of The Walt Disney Company saw its revenues decline by 3% in fiscal Q4 2022, as segment operating income tumbled by 91% year-over-year.

The results of California state Propositions 26 and 27, which some believe are essential for the new format of Cumulus Media's KGO-AM "The Spread" to be ultimately successful in the San Francisco Bay Area, decisively failed to meet voter approval on Election Day. Yet, Cumulus says it is staying the course with the station's programming.

Net revenue was up across the board for Townsquare Media in Q3, but the three analysts who track the company expected more in the quarter. Meanwhile, adjusted net income declined year-over-year, missing the analysts' forecasts. Impacting the bottom line is an impairment charge.

For Gray Television, PAC dollars shifted to markets where it doesn't own stations after primary wins negated originally anticipated spending needs. That seems to be the case for The E.W. Scripps Co., too, as 10% revenue growth in Q3 simply wasn't as large as what Wall Street analysts had forecast. Why? Political dollars came up short for Scripps, too.

Live in a market with a non-NBCUniversal owned station and want to watch it via an app or on a smartphone? You'll soon have the ability to do so, thanks to a big evolutionary step set to transpire on the Peacock platform.

“Nexstar delivered another quarter of record financial results," Perry Sook said of Nexstar Media Group's Q3 2022 results. But, did Nexstar meet analyst expectations? Political advertising growth made that happen. And, while core advertising was down due to several factors, Automotive growth is worth noting.